PAL secures spot at new JFK airport terminal in NY

Philippine Airlines (PAL) will operate at John F. Kennedy International Airport’s (JFK) biggest terminal by 2026 as the flag carrier ramps up its flights to the United States.

The Lucio Tan-led company, in a statement on Wednesday, said it was the first Southeast Asian airline to commit to operations at the New Terminal One, which is scheduled to welcome carriers in about two years.

Currently, PAL is servicing its thrice-weekly flights between Manila and New York at the existing Terminal 1.

The New Terminal One is part of a $19-billion project to upgrade JFK. The 23-gate New York gateway, which will feature public spaces and several amenities for better passenger experience, sprawls across 2.6 million square-feet of space.

“This partnership with the JFK New Terminal One highlights an important innovation for Philippine Airlines. This alliance allows us to enhance our service and elevate the travel experience for our passengers traveling between Manila and New York, as well as nearby cities in New Jersey and Connecticut, and throughout the U.S. East Coast and Midwest,” PAL president and chief operating officer Stanley Ng said.

“Our teams share a strong commitment to customer experience, and we look forward to working together to elevate the curb-to-gate experience for Philippine Airlines customers flying to and from New York,” The New Terminal One at JFK CEO Jennifer Aument said.

PAL is the only local airline providing Philippines direct routes to the US.

Apart from New York, the flag carrier also flies to Los Angeles, San Francisco, Honolulu, Guam and Seattle.

The maiden Manila-Seattle flight was launched just this month. It also serves as gateway to Chicago, Las Vegas, Washington D.C., Houston, Portland, Anchorage and other destinations served by PAL’s interline partner Alaska Airlines.

Elsewhere, the airline is also ramping up operations to take advantage of the resurgence in travel.

PAL, for example, will start offering daily flights from Manila to Brisbane in Australia by Oct. 27. It also has direct flights to Sydney, Melbourne and Perth.

The Lucio Tan-led company is also studying the relaunching of flights to Europe, including routes to Italy, Paris and Brussels.

PAL currently flies to 39 international destinations and 33 domestic locations. —Tyrone Jasper C. Piad